One Year Later
Olivia's POV
Olivia stood at the window of her new apartment in New York City, watching as the city buzzed with its familiar energy below. The skyline was breathtaking, a constant reminder that life kept moving forward, no matter how hard things had been. The bright yellow cabs whizzed by, people rushing about their lives, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she smiled at the sheer chaos and beauty of it all. She was no longer watching from the sidelines—she was part of this now. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt in control of her life.
It had been a long journey to get here, but every step had been worth it.
A year ago, she had packed her bags and left everything behind to spend six months in Bali. It was supposed to be a sabbatical from work, but it had become so much more than that. It had been a sabbatical from her entire life, from all the expectations and pressures that had suffocated her for so long. In Bali, she had found clarity. She had spent her days meditating, doing yoga, journaling, and reconnecting with herself in a way that she hadn't been able to in years.
The pain of her past had been raw when she first arrived—her mother's betrayal, the lost letters, the weight of everything that had been taken from her and Fitz. But with every sunrise over the serene beaches, with every deep breath during meditation, she had started to let go of that pain. She had stopped blaming herself for the choices that had been taken from her. She had started to see her life as something she could shape, something she could take back.
Six months later, when she returned to London, she knew she couldn't stay there. That chapter of her life was over. The city held too many memories, too many reminders of a life she had outgrown. When the opportunity came to transfer to New York for a new role with the UN, she jumped at it. It was the fresh start she needed—a chance to step into her own power, on her own terms.
And now, she was about to take another big step. She was about to enroll in law school.
It had been a dream she'd once pushed aside, but now, it was a goal she was determined to achieve. She was no longer the girl who was afraid to chase after what she wanted. She was going to be a lawyer—one who helped women and children, just as she had been doing with the UN. But this time, she would have the tools and the expertise to make real, lasting change.
Her phone buzzed on the counter, and she turned from the window to check it. A reminder popped up about an appointment with her academic advisor to finalize her law school enrollment. A surge of excitement bubbled in her chest. This was really happening. She was clear about her direction now, confident in where she was heading. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't living someone else's dream—she was living her own.
But there was still one thing left unresolved. One piece of her past that she hadn't fully reconnected with.
Fitz.
A year had passed since that tearful phone call. They had talked about everything—about the letters, about her need to heal and find herself before they could figure out where they stood. He had been heartbroken, and so had she, but he had understood. Still, she hadn't reached out to him since returning from Bali. Not because she didn't want to, but because she hadn't been ready. She needed to be sure of herself before she could step back into that part of her life.
Now, though, she was ready. She was confident, stronger than before, and clear about what she wanted. Part of that clarity included reconnecting with Fitz, seeing if there was still something between them worth fighting for.
Their last conversation had left them both in tears, but it had also left them with hope. Hope that once she found herself, once she was ready, they could pick up the pieces and see if their love could survive everything that had been thrown at them.
Olivia took a deep breath as she picked up her phone. She hadn't spoken to her mother in months. Things between them were still estranged, and Olivia wasn't sure when—if ever—that would change. The pain of her mother's betrayal ran deep, and Olivia wasn't sure she could ever fully forgive her. But for now, that part of her life was on hold. Her mother's absence wasn't something she dwelled on anymore. She had learned to find peace in the distance.
Instead, she opened her phone and scrolled to Fitz's number, her heart racing with anticipation. She hadn't called him in a year, but now it was time. She had promised him that she would reach out when she was ready, and that time had finally come.
Fitz's POV & Recap of his year before picking up at the phone call.
The familiar scent of antiseptic lingered in the air as Fitz lay in the quiet of his Houston home. He hadn't been home for long—just a few months since his return from Afghanistan. The deployment had been grueling, filled with danger and long days under the oppressive heat, but it wasn't the mission itself that had altered the course of his life. It was the injury. One moment, everything was normal—patrolling with his team, sharp focus on the task at hand—and the next, there was an explosion, followed by nothing but chaos. Shrapnel had torn through his leg, and everything went dark.
That was months ago, but the memory felt fresh, like an open wound. He had spent the last few months healing—physically and emotionally—working through the pain of recovery, both in body and in spirit. The physical pain had been excruciating, the rehabilitation slow and torturous, but it was the time spent alone, forced to confront the reality of what his life had become, that had been the most difficult.
The thing about war was that it stripped you down, leaving you exposed, and vulnerable. There were long, endless hours where Fitz had nothing but his thoughts, nothing but the ache of missing Gabe, missing the life he had back home, missing Olivia. And that was the hardest part—knowing that despite everything he had gone through, he still wasn't sure where he stood with the woman he loved.
A year ago, Olivia had called him, finally opening up about why she needed space, why she had to figure things out on her own. He had respected that. He hadn't liked it, hadn't agreed with it, but he respected her need for time. After all, he had been in that place himself—searching, lost, trying to figure out who he was after everything that had happened. He understood more than anyone that sometimes, you needed to go through that process alone.
But it didn't make the waiting any easier.
He had tried to focus on his deployment, on being the best version of himself for his team and for Gabe, but Olivia had been there, in the back of his mind, every single day. Even when the mission had demanded his full attention, she was always there, lingering like a ghost, a reminder of everything they had lost and everything he still hoped they could find again.
Now, back in Houston, after the injury, after months of physical therapy, Fitz was finally starting to see a way forward. He was walking again, though not without a limp, but his doctors had warned him that his days as a Navy SEAL were over. He wasn't fit for active duty anymore, and while he hated that reality, he knew it was true.
But the truth was, he wasn't sure what his next move would be. For as long as he could remember, the military had been his life. It had given him structure, a sense of purpose, and an identity. Without it, he felt adrift. There were days when he would sit in the quiet of his home, staring at the four walls, wondering what was next. What was he, if not a Navy SEAL?
The only thing he knew for sure was that Gabe was the anchor that kept him grounded. Every day, Fitz focused on being there for his son, spending time with him, and being the father he had always promised himself he would be. They spent their weekends at the park, Gabe insisting on showing off his latest soccer moves, or in the backyard, where they built makeshift forts out of old sheets and pillows.
Gabe had taken his father's injury in stride, though Fitz could tell his son was worried. There were moments when Gabe would glance at Fitz's leg, eyes full of curiosity and fear, but Fitz had reassured him, time and time again, that everything would be okay. He would heal, and things would go back to normal—or at least a new version of normal.
But in the back of Fitz's mind, he couldn't stop thinking about Olivia. They hadn't spoken in a year, but he had kept his promise. He had given her space and allowed her the time she needed to heal and find herself, but the hope that she would return, that they would finally have their chance, never left him.
Now, as he sat on the couch, his leg resting on the ottoman in front of him, his phone buzzed on the table. Fitz reached for it, glancing at the screen, and his heart skipped a beat.
It was Olivia.
For a moment, he hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen. He hadn't heard from her in so long, and part of him wondered what this call meant. Had she found herself? Was she ready to reconnect? Or was this just a check-in, a way to let him down gently?
Taking a deep breath, Fitz answered the call.
"Livvie?" His voice was soft, but there was a hint of hope there, hope he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time.
"Hey, Fitz," Olivia's voice came through the line, and for a moment, Fitz closed his eyes, letting the sound of her wash over him. He had missed her more than he'd let himself admit.
"It's been a while," Fitz said, his voice a little rougher than he intended. He was trying to keep his emotions in check, but it wasn't easy. Not after everything.
"Yeah, it has," Olivia admitted. "I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner. I needed... more time than I thought."
"I figured," Fitz replied, trying to sound casual, though his heart was pounding in his chest. "How are you?"
Olivia let out a soft sigh, and Fitz could almost picture her, sitting in some quiet room, thinking through her words carefully before speaking.
"I'm good, Fitz. I really am. I went to Bali for six months and it helped me in ways I didn't expect. I spent a lot of time healing, reflecting, figuring out what I want for my life."
Fitz's chest tightened, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "And... what is it that you want?"
"I took a new job," Olivia continued, her voice gaining a bit of strength. "I transferred to New York. I'm still with the UN but in a different role. And... I'm enrolling in law school."
Fitz blinked, the weight of her words sinking in. Law school. She had always talked about becoming a lawyer, but the fact that she was actually going for it now, after everything, filled him with pride.
"That's amazing, Livvie. I always knew you could do it."
"Thanks," Olivia said softly, but then her voice faltered slightly. "But I didn't call just to tell you that."
Fitz felt his stomach flip. Here it comes, he thought.
"I've been thinking a lot about us," Olivia continued, her voice steady, but laced with emotion. "And about everything that happened between us, and how much we lost. I needed to figure out who I was before I could even think about reaching out to you. And now that I've done that... I feel like I'm finally ready."
Fitz's heart raced, but he stayed quiet, letting her speak.
"I don't know what the future holds, Fitz," Olivia said, her voice raw. "But I know that I don't want to move forward without seeing if there's still something between us. I want to reconnect. I want to try."
Fitz let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "God, Livvie, I've been waiting for this. I've been waiting for you."
There was a soft laugh on the other end of the line, and Fitz felt a warmth spread through him.
"I know," Olivia said. "But I needed to be sure. I needed to be whole before I could come back to you."
"I understand," Fitz replied, his voice soft. "I don't agree with it, but I understand. I've always wanted you to be happy, Liv. And if you're ready now, then so am I."
They talked for a while longer, catching up on the past year, on Fitz's injury and recovery, on Olivia's time in Bali. There was so much to say, so much to rebuild, but as they spoke, Fitz felt a sense of hope settled over him.
The future was still uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like they were both moving in the right direction. Together.
And for Fitz, that was enough.
AN: Next up, they are meeting each other in person. On another note, please leave reviews. It takes me a lot of time to write updates and while I enjoy doing it, it means a lot when readers leave a review on my work. If you have never left a review on one of my stories, I implore you to do so. It would mean the world to me. Thank you to the readers who faithfully leave one, you are deeply appreciated! :)